Connector plate coil

ABSTRACT

Connector plate stock in the form of a thin elongated strip of sheet metal having teeth struck therefrom is wound about a spool. The spool includes a hub having support structure comprised of a pair of flanges at its opposite ends. A pin extends from one of the flanges adjacent the hub and toward the opposite flange. The stock is coupled to the hub by locating the leading end of the stock between the pin and the hub and winding the stock about the hub in a helical manner traversing the hub in opposite axial directions from one flange to the other. The teeth preferably project radially outwardly from the strip with the overlying strips bearing on the tips of the underlying teeth as the strip is wound about the spool.

July 22, 1975 United States Patent Jureit et al.

[ CONNECTOR PLATE COIL 1, 52.181 3/1934 242/78.l 2,082,577 6/1937 Herschmann......i.............,.. 206/343 [751 menu): Jurelt, Coral Gables; 3,023,888 3/1962 242/1 Kushner; Adolfo Castillo, both of Miami, all of Fla,

Primary Examiner-John W. Huckert Assistant Examiner-John M. Jillions [73] Assignee: Automated Building Components,

Inc., Miami, Fla.

Jan. 7, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT Connector plate stock in the form of a thin elongated strip of sheet metal having teeth struck therefrom is [22] Filed:

[21] Appl, No.: 431,046

wound about a spool. The spool includes a hub having support structure comprised of a pair of flanges at its 7 N 4 22 ..4 82 3.1 4 6 02 24 .2 3., 65 65 2 24 .2 L C M U n 5 opposite ends, A pin extends from one of the flanges [51] Int. B65h 75/28 adjacent the hub and toward the opposite flange. The stock is coupled to the hub by locating the leading end of the stock between the pin and the hub and winding 53 the stock about the hub in a helical manner traversing References Cited the hub in opposite axial directions from one flange to UNITED STATES PATENTS the other. The teeth preferably project radially outwardly from the strip with the overlying strips bearing on the tips of the underlying teeth as the strip is wound about the spool.

5444 5777 2222 4444 2222 H a v; fly u 0 PHWJ 6788 9222 8999 111] 2 35 l CONNECTOR PLATE COIL The present invention relates to an industrial product and particularly relates to spools of connector plate stock useful for wooden frame fabricating machines.

Connector plates of the type having integrally struck teeth have been and are being increasingly utilized to form the joints between the various wooden members comprising the parts of frames, pallets, boxes, and the like. For example, connector plates of various sizes and widths are commonly utilized in the joints of wooden roof trusses and truss-type floor joists. An example of such connector plates is disclosed in USv Pat. No. 2,877,520 of common assignee herewith. To form such joints, it is typical industry practice to preposition precut wooden members on a jig table in the shape of the desired frame and spot precut connector plates on opposite sides of the frame joints. The teeth of the plates are then embedded into the joints to secure the frame members one to the other, suitable presses being utilized for this purpose. An example of a fabricating systern of the foregoing type is illustrated in US. Pat. No. 3.602,237 and also in US. Pat. No. 3,603,244 both of common assignee herewith.

Connector plates are currently provided frame fabricators in various sizes either cut exactly to the length required or in discrete sizes preferably constituting a multiple of the required lengths. The fabricator cuts these latter longer connector plates to form connector plates of the required lengths. These connector plates, oftentimes referred to as bar stock. are very often packed by a supplier either by tumble packing, i.e., ran dom disposition of the connector plates in a box, or by stacking the plates, i.e., stacking paired connector plates in teeth-toteeth facing relation. While these conventional methods of applying the connector plates to the frame members have been evidently satisfactory in the past, and while these methods of packaging the connector plates for delivery to the fabricator have been utilized in connection with such fabricating systems, a recent innovation in the wooden frame fabricating industry has eliminated the necessity of manually spotting discrete connector plates about the prepositioned wooden frame members as well as other problems associated with the fabrication of wooden frames including problems associated with the packaging, de livering and unpackaging of the connector plates for use with such fabricating systems. This innovation is described and illustrated in detail in US. patent application Ser. No. 3l7,095 filed Dec. 20, 1972, abandoned, of common assignee herewith. In that application, there is provided a fabricating machine which substantially simultaneously cuts a discrete length of connector plate from coiled connector plate stock and embeds the teeth of the plate thus formed into the joint formed by adjacent wooden members, i.e., a joint of a frame undergoing fabrication. Particularly, connector plate stock of the type having a plurality of integrally struck teeth projecting from one side thereof is pro vided a fabricator in the form of a coiled strip, the stock being wound about a spool in a common plane to form a single coil. When the spool is mounted on the fabrieating machine, the stock is fed through a feeding mechanism which steps desired lengths of the stock into the path of movement of a press and cutting head. Provision is also made in that machine for locating the joints of wooden frame members in the path of movement of the press and cutting head. Consequently,

when the press is actuated, the press head moves to cut the selected length of connector plate from the stock and embeds the teeth of the plate thus cut into the joint of the wooden members at the end of its stroke, Upon retraction of the head, the feed assembly advances a further selected length of connector plate stock into the path of movement of the head and the cycle is repeated for each joint thus formed. In the fabrication system disclosed. the press and cutting heads are providcd on opposite sides of the joints such that discrete connector plates are applied on the opposite sides of the joint, the plates being provided from two similar coils of stock carried by the machine. This machine, now in commercial operation, has proven successful in automatically fabricating wooden frames and the like.

With the coiled connector plate stock wound spirally in a common plane, it has been found with coils of practical sizes, i.e., diameters, that the exhausted or empty spools must be replaced by full coils at frequent intervals. It will be appreciated, notwithstanding the ease with which the coils may be changed on the fabrieating machine described in application Ser. No. 317,095, abandoned, that it does require some time to effect the change and during which time the frame assembly line is idled. For example, coils containing about 200 linear feet of connector plate stock have been utilized. Where the connector plates being formed each have a length of about 3 inches, it will be seen that only four press strokes are utilized to form a connector plate to that length for each foot of coiled connector plate stock. With the fabricating machine running at a speed of about 6 press cycles per minute, it will be appreciated that a 200 foot coil would last for approximately minutes on a continuous production line basis. The interruptions caused by the necessity therefor to change coils about once every 2 hours have given impetus to the search for apparatus requiring in frequent loading of the coiled stock.

The present invention provides an industrial product comprised of a spool of coiled connector plate stock which minimizes and/or eliminates the foregoing and other problems associated with feeding a fabricating machine of the type disclosed in application Ser. No. 317,095, abandoned, of common assignee herewith and provides a novel and improved industrial product including a helically wound spool for connector plate stock having various advantages in its utilization with a machine of the type disclosed in that patent application. Particularly, the present invention provides connector plate stock in the form of an elongated strip and having a plurality of teeth struck therefrom to project to one side thereof throughout its length. The stock strip is wound about a spool comprised of a hub and support structure comprised of a pair of flanges at op posed ends of the hub. The strip is wound in a helical manner first in one direction parallel to the axis of the hub and then in the opposite axial direction. Preferably, the strip is wound about the spool such that the teeth project from the stock in a radially outward direction, although it will be appreciated that the strip can be wound with the teeth projecting radially inwardly. The stock is wound by first locating the leading end of the stock between the hub and a pin projecting in an axial direction from one of the support flanges and in radially spaced relation from the hub. The stock is then helically wound about the hub in one axial direction. When the strip reaches the opposite end of the spool,

the axial direction is reversed and the strip is helically wound toward the other end of the spool. The helically wound overlying stock is supported by the tips of the teeth of the underlying helically wound stock. It has been found, notwithstanding the existence of slots in the base in the stock from which the teeth are struck. that the underlying teeth do not interfere with the overlying strip either as it is being wound about the spool or unwound from the spool. Also. whereas it would appear at first glance that the metal plate of the stock would necessarily be distorted, bent or buckled when reversing direction due to the helical winding. it has been found that with small pitch angles this does not occur and both winding of the stock onto the reel and unwinding it therefrom can be accomplished without any substantial deformation of the strip. Thus, the connector plate stock is coiled about the spool in a series of different diameter helices.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the length of connector plate stock capable of being helically wound on a spool of the type having an increased axial length in comparison with the spool disclosed in the prior application Ser. No. 317,095, abandoned, can be many times the length carried by such latter spool. For example, a spool length of about 4 to 5 times the length of the spool disclosed in that application can accommodate a length of connector plate stock about 4 to 5 times the length of connector plate stock that such prior spool could carry and for approximately the same spool diameter. Thus, fabricating machines utilizing spools having helically wound coiled connector plate stock thereon can be run continuously for much longer periods of time and require infrequent changes of spools. For example, by increasing the axial length of the spools, about 4 or 5 times the length of the spool described and illustrated in the prior appllcation and by helically winding the coil thereabout, approximately 800 linear feet of connector plate stock can be provided on the spool for the same diameter thereof. In short, the spools need be changed but once every 8 hours rather than every 2 hours in the specific example herein disclosed.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved industrial product comprised of a spool having helically wound connector plate stock carried thereon.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved industrial product for use with 'a fabricating machine of the type disclosed in prior application Ser. No. 317,095, abandoned of common assignee herewith.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved industrial product for use with the fabricating machine disclosed in prior application Ser. No. 317,095, abandoned, wherein large quantities of connector plate stock are stored on a spool.

These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification, appended claims and drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view illustrating a spool of coiled connector plate stock constructed in accordance with the present invention with parts broken out for illustrative purposes;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the spool and connector plate stock illustrated in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of which the leading end of the connector plate stock is coupled to the spool.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated a spool generally indicated 10 comprised ofa hub 12 and a pair of lateral supports secured at opposite ends of the hub 12. The lateral supports comprise annular members-forming flanges 14 at opposite ends of hub 12. Referring to FIG. 3, there is provided an axially inwardly extending pin 16 suitably secured to one of flanges 14. The pin 16 is spaced radially from the outer surface of hub 12 a distance slightly greater than the length of the teeth T provided on connector plate stock S coiled about the hub.

The connector plate stock S comprises an elongated strip of sheet metal having a plurality of elongated nail-' like teeth T struck therefrom to project to one side. The teeth T, as illustrated inFlG. 3, leave a plurality of elongated slots 18 in the base of the stock. Various configurations and arrangements of the teeth may be provided in the stock. For example, the stock may be punched to provide teeth similar to those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,877,520. It will be appreciated, however, that any tooth configuration and arrangement deemed desirable for forming connector plates effective to join wooden members one to the other may be provided in the stock.

The connector plate stock may be formed of 18 or 20 U.S. Standard Gauge galvanized sheet metal although it will be appreciated that other thicknesses of stock may be utilized as necessary and desired. It will be appreciated that the stock is provided with the teeth throughout its entire length.

To wind the stock S on the spool 10, the leading end of the stock is disposed between pin 16 and hub 12 and on one side of hub 12 adjacent one of flanges 14. The stock is applied to the reel such that the teeth project radially outwardly when the stock is wound and accordingly, the teeth of the leading end of the stock will catch on pin 16. The stock is wound about hub 12 in a helical manner preferably starting on one side of the hub. Preferably, the stock forms a single cylindrical helix as it is wound about the hub in an axial direction toward the opposite flange. When the stock lies adjacent the opposite flange, the direction of the helical winding is reversed and the base of the stock is disposed to overlie the tips of the teeth on the underlying helically wound stock thus forming a second layer of helically wound connector stock extending in the opposite axial direction. When the second layer of stock is completely wound and the stock lies adjacent thefirst flange, the direction of the helical winding is again reversed and the base of the stock is supported by the tips of the teeth of the underlying second helically wound cylindrical coil of stock. This process is repeated until all of the stock is wound upon the spool. A pin 20 may then be inserted through axially registering openings in the outer margins of the flanges with the pin being secured by a cotter pin 22. Thus, the teeth at the outer end of the coiled stock engage about the pin 20 retaining the stock on the spool and prevent the stock from unwinding of its own accord from the spool.

it will be appreciated that suitable known techniques may be utilized to wind the stock in the manner described. Suitable guides, for example, may be utilized to track the stock in an axial direction along the hub,

the guide tracking back and forth between the opposite flanges of the hub to provide the helical winding.

When the coil is disposed on a wooden frame fabricating machine, for example the machine disclosed in application Ser. No. 317,095, abandoned, pin is removed and the outer coil is disposed in the machines feed assembly. A tracking device may be utilized, if desired, to maintain the coil in alignment with the feed assembly. it has been found that the teeth do not interfere with the uncoiling of the stock from the spool or in any way lock or hinder the uncoiling of the stock remaining coiled on the spool during operation of the fabricating machine.

It will be appreciated that the illustrated spool has about four to five cylindrical helical windings. Accordingly, for a spool having a diameter similar to the diameter of the spools disclosed in the prior application Ser. No. 317,095, abandoned, the present spool carries about four to 5 times the length of connector plate as carried on the spool of the prior application.

Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the objects of this invention are fully accomplished and that there is provided an industrial product useful for fabricating machines of the type for applying connector plates to the joints of wooden members. Particularly, the industrial product herein disclosed provides a significant increase in the capacity of the spool to continuously feed the connector plate stock to the fabricating machine. No modifications to the machine are necessary in order to incorporate the reel disclosed herein other than altering the spool support structure on the machine.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being in dicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An industrial product comprising a reel having a hub and a flange disposed adjacent at least one end of said hub and extending radially outwardly therefrom, and an elongated strip of sheet metal connector plate stock coiled about said hub and supported by said reel, said connector stock having a plurality of spaced elongated nail-like teeth struck integrally therefrom and projecting generally radially from one side of said coiled stock in a plurality of transversely spaced longitudinal rows extending substantially coextensively with the length of said coiled stock, said stock being heli cally coiled about said hub in successive opposite axial directions and at a predetermined pitch in each direction to form a plurality of generally concentric cylindrical coils of said stock about said hub with said flange limiting the axial extent of the helically coiled stock in one of said axial directions.

2. An industrial product according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of teeth project generally radially outwardly from one side of said coiled stock, the tips of the teeth in one coil of said helically coiled stock bearing against the sheet metal stock in a next radially adjacent coil of said helically coiled stock.

3. An industrial product according to claim 2 includ ing a pin carried by said flange adjacent its outer periphery and in engagement with an end portion of a final coil of the helically coiled stock to preclude the helically wound coil from uncoiling from said reel.

4. An industrial product according to claim 3 wherein said pin lies in engagement with said teeth.

5. An industrial product according to claim 2 including a second flange disposed adjacent the opposite end of said hub and extending radially outwardly therefrom to limit the axial extent of the helically coiled stock in the other of said axial directions.

6. An industrial product according to claim 1 wherein said reel includes a pin carried thereby, said pin being radially outwardly spaced from said hub for engaging the inner end portion of the connector stock coiled about said hub.

7. An industrial product according to claim 2 wherein the base of the connector stock in one coil of said helically coiled stock overlies and engages the tips of the teeth of the next underlying coil of said helically coiled stock. 

1. An industrial product comprising a reel having a hub and a flange disposed adjacent at least one end of said hub and extending radially outwardly therefrom, and an elongated strip of sheet metal connector plate stock coiled about said hub and supported by said reel, said connector stock having a plurality of spaced elongated nail-like teeth struck integrally therefrom and projecting generally radially from one side of said coiled stock in a plurality of transversely spaced longitudinal rows extending substantially coextensively with the length of said coiled stock, said stock being helically coiled about said hub in successive opposite axial directions and at a predetermined pitch in each direction to form a plurality of generally concentric cylindrical coils of said stock about said hub with said flange limiting the axial extent of the helically coiled stock in one of said axial directions.
 2. An industrial product according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of teeth project generally radially outwardly from one side of said coiled stock, the tips of the teeth in one coil of said helically coiled stock bearing against the sheet metal stock in a next radially adjacent coil of said helically coiled stock.
 3. An industrial product according to claim 2 including a pin carried by said flange adjacent its outer periphery and in engagement with an end portion of a final coil of the helically coiled stock to preclude the helically wound coil from uncoiling from said reel.
 4. An industrial product according to claim 3 wherein said pin lies in engagement with said teeth.
 5. An industrial product according to claim 2 including a second flange disposed adjacent the opposite end of said hub and extending radially outwardly therefrom to limit the axial extent of the helically coiled stock in the other of said axial directions.
 6. An industrial product according to claim 1 wherein said reel includes a pin carried thereby, said pin being radially outwardly spaced from Said hub for engaging the inner end portion of the connector stock coiled about said hub.
 7. An industrial product according to claim 2 wherein the base of the connector stock in one coil of said helically coiled stock overlies and engages the tips of the teeth of the next underlying coil of said helically coiled stock. 